maddy varner
@regret.bsky.social
technologist, data journalist, dyer, etc ✨ www.maddy.zone ✨ signal: mvarner.01
i do think company-branded bench press plates are a good swag idea
January 15, 2026 at 9:20 PM
i do think company-branded bench press plates are a good swag idea
Reposted by maddy varner
Arizona is now investigating X over the creation and distribution of "potentially illegal and harmful content, including child sexual abuse imagery"
The AG's announcement links to WIRED's reporting about Grok Imagine videos, by me and @regret.bsky.social
WIRED story: www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
The AG's announcement links to WIRED's reporting about Grok Imagine videos, by me and @regret.bsky.social
WIRED story: www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
Attorney General Mayes Announces Investigation into X’s AI Chatbot | Attorney General's Office
PHOENIX — Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced that the Arizona Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation into reports that X’s artificial int
www.azag.gov
January 15, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Arizona is now investigating X over the creation and distribution of "potentially illegal and harmful content, including child sexual abuse imagery"
The AG's announcement links to WIRED's reporting about Grok Imagine videos, by me and @regret.bsky.social
WIRED story: www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
The AG's announcement links to WIRED's reporting about Grok Imagine videos, by me and @regret.bsky.social
WIRED story: www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
Reposted by maddy varner
The Star Tribune had an insane graphic about the presence of immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. There are more immigration officers in the metro right now than local police officers.
January 15, 2026 at 12:56 AM
The Star Tribune had an insane graphic about the presence of immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. There are more immigration officers in the metro right now than local police officers.
Reposted by maddy varner
CAREFUL: Hundreds of millions of audio devices using Google's Fast Play protocol are vulnerable to hijacking; there are updates available for many devices, but who patches their headset? (You, after reading this and looking into things.) @agreenberg.bsky.social and @lhn.bsky.social have the details:
Hundreds of Millions of Audio Devices Need a Patch to Prevent Wireless Hacking and Tracking
Flaws in how 17 models of headphones and speakers use Google’s one-tap Fast Pair Bluetooth protocol have left devices open to eavesdroppers and stalkers.
www.wired.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:50 PM
CAREFUL: Hundreds of millions of audio devices using Google's Fast Play protocol are vulnerable to hijacking; there are updates available for many devices, but who patches their headset? (You, after reading this and looking into things.) @agreenberg.bsky.social and @lhn.bsky.social have the details:
Reposted by maddy varner
California has opened an investigation in Grok's creation of sexualized deepfakes of women and children
“The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking," Attorney General Bonta says
“The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking," Attorney General Bonta says
Attorney General Bonta Launches Investigation into xAI, Grok Over Undressed, Sexual AI Images of Women and Children
Potential victims of xAI can file a complaint at oag.ca.gov/report OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced opening an investigation into the proliferation of nonconsensual sexu...
oag.ca.gov
January 14, 2026 at 6:08 PM
California has opened an investigation in Grok's creation of sexualized deepfakes of women and children
“The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking," Attorney General Bonta says
“The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking," Attorney General Bonta says
Reposted by maddy varner
Another example of police abusing LPR systems:
Investigators found that while off duty Morales had made seven searches on Flock for the victim’s cars and two for his brother’s car.
He said that he did it out of desperation, bad judgment, and a lack of sleep
Investigators found that while off duty Morales had made seven searches on Flock for the victim’s cars and two for his brother’s car.
He said that he did it out of desperation, bad judgment, and a lack of sleep
Complaint: Menasha police officer allegedly used Flock cameras to find victim’s car
A Menasha police officer was arrested Wednesday morning and taken to jail for one count of stalking, Appleton police announced.
www.wbay.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Another example of police abusing LPR systems:
Investigators found that while off duty Morales had made seven searches on Flock for the victim’s cars and two for his brother’s car.
He said that he did it out of desperation, bad judgment, and a lack of sleep
Investigators found that while off duty Morales had made seven searches on Flock for the victim’s cars and two for his brother’s car.
He said that he did it out of desperation, bad judgment, and a lack of sleep
Reposted by maddy varner
Hey! @wired.com is doing a bunch of hiring. Here we go with a thread of five great jobs, with a few more coming shortly:
1) We are hiring a senior editor for our science desk, which means you get to work with geniuses like @timmarchman.bsky.social @mollytaft.com and @emilymullin.bsky.social
1) We are hiring a senior editor for our science desk, which means you get to work with geniuses like @timmarchman.bsky.social @mollytaft.com and @emilymullin.bsky.social
Senior Editor, Science
WIRED is where a better future is imagined. For three decades, we have been the indispensable guide to a world in constant transformation. We cover humanity’s biggest challenges, from climate change t...
condenast.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Hey! @wired.com is doing a bunch of hiring. Here we go with a thread of five great jobs, with a few more coming shortly:
1) We are hiring a senior editor for our science desk, which means you get to work with geniuses like @timmarchman.bsky.social @mollytaft.com and @emilymullin.bsky.social
1) We are hiring a senior editor for our science desk, which means you get to work with geniuses like @timmarchman.bsky.social @mollytaft.com and @emilymullin.bsky.social
Reposted by maddy varner
Fun Fact: If you've ever seen one of our videos of something on fire in the lab (Christmas trees, turkey fryers, etc.), Andy was the guy in charge of all the people who put those demos together. They were run like the Navy because, before his time at CPSC, Andy spent 10 years working on nuke subs.
Last week, we celebrated the career and retirement of CPSC’s Associate Executive Director of Laboratory Sciences, Andrew “Andy” Stadnik.
January 14, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Fun Fact: If you've ever seen one of our videos of something on fire in the lab (Christmas trees, turkey fryers, etc.), Andy was the guy in charge of all the people who put those demos together. They were run like the Navy because, before his time at CPSC, Andy spent 10 years working on nuke subs.
Reposted by maddy varner
DOJ has occasionally claimed that it needs to search reporters' records to find the source of a security leak.
But that's pretty obviously not what they were doing when they searched the Post reporter's house. They arrested a suspect days ago, after more or less catching him in the act.
But that's pretty obviously not what they were doing when they searched the Post reporter's house. They arrested a suspect days ago, after more or less catching him in the act.
Bondi statement on FBI search at Washington Post reporter’s home:
January 14, 2026 at 3:49 PM
DOJ has occasionally claimed that it needs to search reporters' records to find the source of a security leak.
But that's pretty obviously not what they were doing when they searched the Post reporter's house. They arrested a suspect days ago, after more or less catching him in the act.
But that's pretty obviously not what they were doing when they searched the Post reporter's house. They arrested a suspect days ago, after more or less catching him in the act.
Nearly a year after it was first announced, the FTC's consent agreement with General Motors over its collection and sharing of drivers' location and driving behavior data has been finalized: www.ftc.gov/news-events/...
FTC Finalizes Order Settling Allegations that GM and OnStar Collected and Sold Geolocation Data Without Consumers’ Informed Consent
The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order with General Motors and OnStar settling allegations that they collected, used, and sold consumers’ precise geolocation data and driving behavior data
www.ftc.gov
January 14, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Nearly a year after it was first announced, the FTC's consent agreement with General Motors over its collection and sharing of drivers' location and driving behavior data has been finalized: www.ftc.gov/news-events/...
Trump just nominated WeatherTech CEO David MacNeil for FTC commissioner. His expertise seems to be on Made In USA claims (his company spent $4M on a Super Bowl ad touting its domestic manufacturing practices) chiefexecutive.net/manufacturer...
Manufacturers Buck Obstacles to Claim ‘Made in America’
“Made in the USA” is a hot pursuit for manufacturing CEOs these days. By 2015, the Boston Consulting Group predicts that cost advantages over parts of Asia and Europe will drive more companies back to...
chiefexecutive.net
January 13, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Trump just nominated WeatherTech CEO David MacNeil for FTC commissioner. His expertise seems to be on Made In USA claims (his company spent $4M on a Super Bowl ad touting its domestic manufacturing practices) chiefexecutive.net/manufacturer...
Reposted by maddy varner
The complaint is difficult reading, but if you need a condensed timeline of events in Minneapolis... I think I missed this incident entirely:
www.courtlistener.com/docket/72132...
www.courtlistener.com/docket/72132...
January 13, 2026 at 7:33 PM
The complaint is difficult reading, but if you need a condensed timeline of events in Minneapolis... I think I missed this incident entirely:
www.courtlistener.com/docket/72132...
www.courtlistener.com/docket/72132...
Reposted by maddy varner
DOJ staff resign over the department’s disinterest in Good killing.
A new spate of Justice Department officials quit because their section didn't want to probe Renee Good's shooting
At least four leaders of the Civil Rights Division resigned because the section's head, Harmeet Dhillon, decided not to investigate shooting of Renee Good.
www.ms.now
January 13, 2026 at 12:01 PM
DOJ staff resign over the department’s disinterest in Good killing.
Reposted by maddy varner
Immigration officers received a "legal refresher" reminding them that personal insults and rude gestures are legal, per documents leaked to me: www.kenklippenstein.com/p/immigratio...
January 13, 2026 at 2:37 AM
Immigration officers received a "legal refresher" reminding them that personal insults and rude gestures are legal, per documents leaked to me: www.kenklippenstein.com/p/immigratio...
the justice department has been radically transformed in the past year. according to npr, 70% of the civil rights division left in early 2025. how many more times will we see this headline?
Urgent news: the Justice Department’s civil rights office refuses to investigate the killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Ross. This is a huge deal, since this is the specialized unit responsible for investigating and prosecuting law enforcement misconduct including excessive force.
Vid: Lawyer_oyer
Vid: Lawyer_oyer
January 12, 2026 at 12:48 AM
the justice department has been radically transformed in the past year. according to npr, 70% of the civil rights division left in early 2025. how many more times will we see this headline?
Reposted by maddy varner
WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to:
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
Videos Show How ICE Vehicle Stops Can Escalate to Shootings
A WSJ visual investigation found that the Minneapolis ICE killing is one of 13 incidents where federal immigration agents have used deadly force against civilians in vehicles since July.
www.wsj.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:44 PM
WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to:
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon
The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire
www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
The "undressing" deepfakes generated by Grok on X were just the tip of the iceberg. @mattburgess1.bsky.social and I found far more explicit AI videos on Grok.com, including dozens that a researcher said they reported to a regulator because they appeared to be CSAM: www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
Grok Is Generating Sexual Content Far More Graphic Than What's on X
A WIRED review of outputs hosted on Grok’s official website shows it’s being used to create violent sexual images and videos, as well as content that includes apparent minors.
www.wired.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:53 PM
The "undressing" deepfakes generated by Grok on X were just the tip of the iceberg. @mattburgess1.bsky.social and I found far more explicit AI videos on Grok.com, including dozens that a researcher said they reported to a regulator because they appeared to be CSAM: www.wired.com/story/grok-i...
many official public notices have to be published in a local newspaper by law. with no major newspaper, what is going to happen to pittsburgh? panewsmedia.org/legislative-...
January 7, 2026 at 8:18 PM
many official public notices have to be published in a local newspaper by law. with no major newspaper, what is going to happen to pittsburgh? panewsmedia.org/legislative-...
Reposted by maddy varner
The Epstein Files: My Observations (Free) jkbjournalist.substack.com/p/the-epstei...
The Epstein Files: My observations
Nothing to See Here
jkbjournalist.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The Epstein Files: My Observations (Free) jkbjournalist.substack.com/p/the-epstei...
Reposted by maddy varner
get ready to say “semiquincentennial” a lot more than you previously did
December 29, 2025 at 7:59 PM
get ready to say “semiquincentennial” a lot more than you previously did
Reposted by maddy varner
NEW: “Ali Kabbaj, who identified himself as an independent journalist, said that he found the video on the dark web and sent it to federal investigators in 2021 for confirmation. ‘I’m shocked I’m in these files,’ he told WIRED.” @regret.bsky.social & @brbarrett.bsky.social report
The ‘Epstein’s Suicide’ Video in the Latest DOJ Release Isn’t What It Seems
Here’s how a fake clip from 2019 wound up in the latest Justice Department Epstein files dump.
www.wired.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:32 AM
NEW: “Ali Kabbaj, who identified himself as an independent journalist, said that he found the video on the dark web and sent it to federal investigators in 2021 for confirmation. ‘I’m shocked I’m in these files,’ he told WIRED.” @regret.bsky.social & @brbarrett.bsky.social report
Did you see this video circulating? WIRED found the preceding document in the dump, a 2021 email to federal investigators asking to help verify whether the video was real, and talked to the guy who wrote it.
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
December 22, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Did you see this video circulating? WIRED found the preceding document in the dump, a 2021 email to federal investigators asking to help verify whether the video was real, and talked to the guy who wrote it.
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
My latest w/ @brbarrett.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/the-ep...
Reposted by maddy varner
Here's a quilt of Volume 4 of the Epstein document dump. Gives you a 10,000 foot view of the redactions. that's 2,704 docs.
December 19, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Here's a quilt of Volume 4 of the Epstein document dump. Gives you a 10,000 foot view of the redactions. that's 2,704 docs.
Reposted by maddy varner
Breaking:
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
December 19, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Breaking:
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.
Rep. Ro Khanna says the Trump DOJ's production "does not comply with" the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Khanna says he and Rep. Thomas Massie "are exploring all options" — including impeachment of DOJ officials, inherent contempt, or referring individuals for obstruction of justice.